The newly refreshed Renault Kangoo ZE is now on sale in the European market, bringing with it an improved range and a number of other changes.

The small electric van offering from Renault now features an official New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) range rating of 270 kilometers (167 miles). The company acknowledges that a real-world range of between 120 kilometers (74 miles) and 200 kilometers (124 miles) is probably more realistic, though.

That’s probably enough range to make the newly refreshed offering seem pretty attractive to many business operators, offering great potential to cut fuel and maintenance costs to a fair degree.

In addition to the improved range — courtesy of a new 33 kilowatt-hour (kWh) battery pack — the refreshed Renault Kangoo ZE also features an upgraded charging system and a heat pump that improves cold weather battery efficiency/range. The new battery pack was developed in partnership with LG Chem.

Green Car Reports provides more: “The new battery cells are denser but do not add additional weight to the Kangoo ZE, which means safety and payload are unchanged. Total power output from the electric battery and motor — shared with the Renault Zoe — is 45 kilowatts (60 horsepower).

“Additionally, Renault has added a dedicated heat pump to use less battery energy on climate control, which the brand says is a first for the light commercial vehicle segment. … In the coldest climates, the Kangoo ZE also benefits from an optional mini-heater for even more warmth.”

As far as the improved 7-kilowatt charging system, the Kangoo ZE can now be fully charged in 6 hours, rather than 7 hours, despite the much improved range.

Deliveries in Europe are expected to begin this summer.

Source: Clean Technica